Nancy:The shop was directly across from the junction with Union St. Just down from the Cheshire Cheese.Anon:I've not heard of Burrows Brothers before.. any information could be helpful for a future post.

Dawson's was next door to the Cheese on the town hall side. I remember it as the place where I got my brownie and guide uniforms - or cubs and scouts for boys -rather than a toy shop, but that could be my memory playing tricks! There was a toy shop on the opposite side of Market Street and further up, near the corner of Nelson Street which I think was called Oldham's. I used to collect Dinky/Matchbox models and they were well stocked with them.

It's 134 Market Street, and as Werneth Low says that's just a little bit of the Cheshire Cheese you can see on the left-hand side of the shop. And his memory isn't playing tricks - Kelly's Directory of 1914 shows James Herbert Dawson, outfitter, at 134 Market Street......not that I'm suggesting he can remember that far back!

Sorry Werneth Low - shouldn't be so quick to jump to make sexist assumptions I suppose!

The images above the door appear to be of King George V and Queen Mary, and presumably the decorations are in celebration of his coronation on 22 June 1911. According to The History of Hyde: '...thousands of people from the surrounding district came into Hyde to view the decorations. A press report of the time says that the Town Hall front "formed a panorama of beauty and effectiveness, and the blend of colours was lovely. A ring of coloured poles and streamers was erected round the Market Place, the poles being linked together with beautiful festoons."

There used to be a toy shop round abouts where Ron Hills shop is now - can anyone remember it's name? It was a double fronted shop also used to have good displays in the right hand window.RE: Oldhams Toy shop - they used to sell a great selection of fireworks on bonfire night if I remember correctly. This was where I bought my "Whizzer" spinning top and accessories, that did tricks, for the princely sum of 50p or 10 shillings - I loved that toy ! :)

Just to add to Dave's blog James Dawson started off around 1902 as an outfitter, then later his title changed to Sports outfitter, the shop was still trading as Dawson's probably up to the 1970's. Later was Kristine's Fashions.S & N Leigh were cycle dealer at 148-150 (Now Ron Hill's as stated) from around the 1950's to the 1970's

Nancy.. great link.. :O)What seems to be needed now is pictures of the toy shops mentioned... if only we had them..ha! I remember Oldhams for the fireworks... and of course bikes... I can't recall the shop further up from the Cheese.

It was S and N Leigh - their twin daughters were in my year at Astley and an older daughter, Christine, was Astley's first head girl. It was an upmarket shop in its day, but nowhere near as exciting as the Aladdin's cave that Oldham's was. I remember buying a red Frido ball there in the late 50s which was put to good use for netball practice for several years. It was tough red plastic with little sticky-out bits all over and it was valved so you could keep it well inflated. I still had it in 1968 when my eldest child was born, so it was a good seven and a tanner's worth!

Used to buy my fishing tackle there. Old man Dawson used to emerge from the rear of the shop and we would ask for some split lead fishing weights. He would scatter them across the counter with a great flourish causing us much amusement.

The shop was next door to the Cheshire Cheese where my gradfather downed many a pint with L.S. Lowry. Mrs. Higginbotham was the landlady at the time.

Werneth Lows comment ref. Ron Hills shop is in fact correct it was Leigh`s but I think it was Oldham`s that sold the cycles as I vividly remember looking through their window at the bikes on display when I was a young boy. The pther place I remember was Hyde Sports Centre which was located where the slip road goes down onto the M67 now by the bus station exit.

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